Henry Long

Henry Long Jr., born on Saturday, March 14, 1931, in Waskom Texas,
to Ameal Sr. and Della James Long, peacefully passed away on Thursday,
February 15, 2024. He was 92 years old with the legacy of four generations.
of loved ones forever cherishing his journey. A proud product of the
Waskom, Texas public school system, Henry grew up alongside his eight
siblings: Lorenzo, Herbert, Harold "Joe", Mary Maxine, Gladys, Charles,
Ameal Jr. (Black), and Oneal (Red). Four of his siblings preceded him in
death. As a young man he was affectionately known as "Rabbit" -- pointing
to his swift movements and tactical agility on the baseball field. Henry had
an unwavering passion for this sport. His dedication led him to play in a
minor Negro baseball league in Dallas, Texas, after relocating there.
On Tuesday, June 3, 1952, Henry joined in matrimony with Lennie Irene
Norman in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Together they welcomed six children
into the world: Curtis, Kathy, Cynthia, Carl, Kenneth, and Kevin;
unfortunately, three of their children preceded him in death. His union with
Lennie ended on Monday, December 19, 1994. Henry found love again and
married Gloria J. Dickey on Friday, August 4, 1995, until his final days. With
Gloria, Henry gained four bonus daughters: Angela, Alyson, Sarah
(Rongea), and Gilberta (Theo), all of Dallas. At the beginning of his
professional career Mr. Long achieved a great reputation for his diligence
and commitment to the work at Clampitt Paper Company, eventually
becoming the Warehouse Manager. This was a remarkable achievement as
the only Black member of the company's management team in the 1960s.
Despite the challenges, Henry's work ethic shone through, leading him to
explore new opportunities. He spent over 30 years as a printer, expertly
operating a lithographic printing press at Apex Printing Company in Dallas
until his retirement in 1994.
Never one to rest, Henry eagerly embarked on another venture with Elliott's
Hardware in Dallas' Oak Lawn area as the Elliott's greeter. His knowledge
of what the store had to offer its customers and where it could be found
was atypical for his expertise and energies. This part of his career led to
Henry becoming nationally recognized as the "Elliott's Man" in a prominent
advertising campaign. His smiling face, bushy eyebrows and all knowing
expression graced local billboards and Dallas Area Rapid Transit buses
traveling across North Central Texas. His dedication in this role caught the
attention of former President George W. Bush. Their initial meeting made
for an energetic photo of the two of them greeting each other and shaking
hands that was published on the front page of The Dallas Morning News;
just one of his many Elliott's store visits. This is symbolic of the same
grace, charm and rapport Mr. Long offered to all of Elliott's patrons entering
those doors.
As a lifelong conservative, Mr. Long was an early supporter of Barack
Obama and eagerly voted twice for the first African American President of
the United States. Many of Henry's friends and colleagues know that he
was a master domino player, his passion for playing pool and golf. His
favorite hobby was restoring classic cars and trucks. He was especially
proud of his work to fully revive and restore a classic 1965 Ford Mustang.
And of course, he took incredible pride as a homeowner in completing the
job with his skill and fondness for yard work, landscaping and painting. As
cited before, Henry's love of sports allowed him to support the Dallas
Cowboys, and even dabble in fascination with the then-Washington
Redskins, but he came back to fully engage again with America's team.
Through his devotion to Christ, Henry instilled his faith in his children and
family, all deeply rooted from his early childhood in the Waskom-Caddo
Parish Louisiana area to his Dallas residence and becoming faithfully.
affiliated with Carver Heights Missionary Baptist Church. Later in life, he
embraced Catholicism at Holy Cross Catholic Church and its values,
alongside his beloved wife Gloria.
Henry Long, Jr. leaves this life on Earth with a profound legacy of love,
cherished by his family, friends, numerous grandchildren,
great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins, and acquaintances. He is
survived by the love of his wife, Gloria, his daughters, Kathy Ann
Long-Payne (Eddie) of Dallas, Cynthia Faye Long, and a son, Carl Edward
Long, both of Dallas, and four inherited daughters (Angela, Alyson, Sarah &
Gilberta) and their families. His surviving siblings, Charles, Ameal Jr. and
Oneal, are all of Dallas and a sister, Mary Maxine of Carson, California.
Though he has departed this world, his loving spirit and all his kindness will
forever live on in the hearts of those who knew and loved him.